Ohio school uses power of prayer to help local students after Hurricane Matthew

Assumption Catholic School students kick off 'Pray it Forward' campaign

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - It has been just over a week since historic storm Hurricane Matthew and people are still dealing with the aftermath.

During these tough times, one school hundreds of miles away has affected students in Jacksonville through the power of prayer.

St. Ignatius Catholic School in Cincinnati, Ohio sent a handwritten card to the students of Assumption Catholic School here in Jacksonville that showed what time the students in Ohio prayed for those here.

“Well, I really had chills. It was a pretty neat moment," Assumption principal Maryann Jimenez said.

On a typical day, Jimenez walks into her office and open her mail, usually finding bills or other letters, but this was no typical day.

“There was a nice picture, there was a card, handwritten and also a little poster with hand prints from kids," Jimenez said. "It was from St. Ignatius Catholic School in Cincinnati, Ohio.”

Jimenez asked students how many of them had trees fall down in their yard and if any of them lost power. A good amount had raised their hands.

“It’s good because they were just doing it out of love," eighth-grade student Taylor Hassan said.

After seeing the destruction and devastation in Haiti, Jimenez said the power of prayer is how Northeast Florida weathered Hurricane Matthew.

“I mean, it’s a random act of kindness, in a sense," Jimenez said. "And, you know, we hear that pay it forward? Well, I kind of thought, let’s pray it forward!”

Jimenez said her students will kick off a "Pray it Forward" campaign for other storm victims Monday.

“I think that it’s kind of cool that as a community, as a school, like, we’re going to help out people,” eighth-grade student Noel McKinney said.